Nylon has a number of desirable properties which have resulted in its wide use in making antifriction members such as bearing members, for example. However, nylon has a coefficient of friction which is sufficiently high that it is desirable to provide lubrication at the interface of the nylon with an associated component coming into sliding contact thereagainst. In many applications it is impractical or undesirable to inject or provide a lubricant from an external source to such interface whereby numerous attempts have been made previously to permanently lubricate nylon members, such as nylon bearing members, by providing lubricant as an integral part of the nylon matrix.
Some of the above-mentioned previous attempts for dispersing a lubricant within a nylon matrix have resulted in substantially reducing the structural integrity of the nylon because porous nylon was employed. Another of such previous attempts, presented in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,414,516, utilizes a so-called sorbent which is mixed with a lubricant and dispersed in the nylon; however, the technique proposed by this patent does not assure efficient provision of the lubricant at the surface of the nylon where it comes into sliding contact with an associated component.
Accordingly, it is apparent that the need exists for a nonporous antifriction nylon member which has a lubricant dispersed therethrough and wherein such lubricant is available at the surface thereof which is to be in sliding contact with another component.
The term nylon is used generically in this disclosure to designate a long-chain synthetic polymeric amide with recurring amide groups as an integral part of the polymer chain.